"Irish fecking Mammies!"

summerskin · 13-02-2013 9:53am #1

One thing I hear ad nauseum in this country is this bizarre notion of the "irish mammy". They seem to be treated as some magical creature that cannot be found in any other nation. As though they are the only ones who go to mass, do the cooking etc and spoil their sons rotten by not having them do any housework or learn to cook etc, therefore having them grow up to be useless mammy's boys.

Isn't that what a selection of mothers do pretty much every where in the world? I grew up in England, and some of my friends had mothers like that, some didn't. in Italy it's rife, Portugal too, among others.

Personally I think they are appalling, the sons in particular don't learn anywhere near enough life lessons, and often the daughters are treated as second class citizens.

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

krudler · 13-02-2013 9:54am

Because they're mammies...in Ireland.

smash · 13-02-2013 9:55am

My mother never went to Mass, never thought me how to cook (but I can cook better than her anyway) and never spoiled me rotten. She is Irish though...

Myrddin · 13-02-2013 9:57am

My lovely Mayo mammy, so gentle and so wise
Rocking on your rocking chair, baking cakes and pies
My lovely Mayo mammy, my lovely lovely...Mayo mam

OldGoat · 13-02-2013 9:57am

Warning! Warning!
Get back, keep clear, it's a "Yore Ma" trap!

Dravokivich · 13-02-2013 9:58am

Whenever my ma was down at mine, she'd route around for recycling or do a quick clean over some things.

A flatmates ma was somewhat similar as well.

Did you see this kind of stuff in England too?

The place wasn't even a mess like... just not very organised...

Oh and as she keeps telling me, Vinegar with some Lemon, good for the ole cleaning.

Czarcasm · 13-02-2013 9:58am

I guess because most of us here are Irish? You'll hardly hear an Irish person say anything about Italian mamas, because they have no experience of Italian mamas, or many other countries for that matter.

summerskin · 13-02-2013 10:00am

Czarcasm wrote: »

I guess because most of us here are Irish? You'll hardly hear an Irish person say anything about Italian mamas, because they have no experience of Italian mamas, or many other countries for that matter.

Obviously. I just wonder why many irish people think that these traits are only held by irish mothers.

I suppose it's a bit like when that twát Hector on 2fm constantly talk about "how irish" some things are, liking drinking tea, or hairdressers having wacky names...

summerskin · 13-02-2013 10:02am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Whenever my ma was down at mine, she'd route around for recycling or do a quick clean over some things.

A flatmates ma was somewhat similar as well.

Did you see this kind of stuff in England too?

The place wasn't even a mess like... just not very organised...

Oh and as she keeps telling me, Vinegar with some Lemon, good for the ole cleaning.

All the time, one of my friend's mothers still insists on bringing him a couple of frozen lasagnes and pies every week, and taking home some washing for him. He's 38, married and a chef.

flanders1979 · 13-02-2013 10:04am

They are extinct, replaced by fcuking Mooooms

HondaSami · 13-02-2013 10:08am

Three cheers for the Irish mammies and their lovely sons, daughters, who needs them when you have a son.

Czarcasm · 13-02-2013 10:22am

summerskin wrote: »

Obviously. I just wonder why many irish people think that these traits are only held by irish mothers.

They don't really think about mothers from other countries? I never bought into the whole "Irish mammy" thing myself as I was pretty self sufficient growing up, but now I think of it there's also the phenomenon of "the mammys boy".

Now those sort of guys that can't cut the apron strings annoy me as much as Hector does. Knob!

Kolido · 13-02-2013 10:22am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Whenever my ma was down at mine, she'd route around for recycling or do a quick clean over some things.

A flatmates ma was somewhat similar as well.

Did you see this kind of stuff in England too?

The place wasn't even a mess like... just not very organised...

Oh and as she keeps telling me, Vinegar with some Lemon, good for the ole cleaning.

Jez that sentence sounded very unsettling at first glance.:eek:

cloud493 · 13-02-2013 10:31am

My British mum isn't at all like the stereotype 'Irish mammy' so.

Rasheed · 13-02-2013 10:36am

Well just in my experience, none of my foreign friends or people I've met abroad, have the same 'mammy' experience as me.

I'm an only daughter on a farm. We were brought up in such a way that nothing in the house was the lads responsibility. Nothing, no washing, cooking , cleaning, buying groceries, laundry, paying bills etc.

Meanwhile everything outside was the lads. Turf, gardening, all the farm work, anything to do with the cars etc.

Real old fashioned ideas as that's how my parents were brought up. My fathers mother was still be 'mammying' him and his brother until the day she died.

I rebelled some what as I was interested in the farm but I was under no illusions that it was going to go both ways. The lads hadn't the heed of shiite on the house work or how a dinner magically appeared each evening.

It's a never ending cycle. Even now, two of the lads are going with girls that spoil them rotten, because they had Irish mammies that did that very thing.

MugMugs · 13-02-2013 10:38am

HondaSami wrote: »

Three cheers for the Irish mammies and their lovely sons, daughters, who needs them when you have a son.

Touched a nerve?

HondaSami · 13-02-2013 10:42am

MugMugs wrote: »

Touched a nerve?

No, I treat my son and daughter equally, both are well capable of cooking, cleaning etc, I do spoil them but only because I want too.
He is a mammy's boy she is a mammy's girl.

hoodwinked · 13-02-2013 10:43am

My mammy in law is very much the stereotype, having three sons no daughters she does all the housework,

a few years ago her eldest (26ish at the time) actually gave out to her for not washing his suit which was hanging on his wardrobe in his old room where he left it for her to clean,

all this while living with his then girlfriend (now wife).

i wouldn't have believed it if i didn't see it, my mum would have kicked my brothers ass if he asked her to wash something for him after he moved out nevermind what she'd do if he spoke to her like that, but then he never would speak to her like that.

My husband (her middle child) was telling me he was always constantly picking things up after his brothers, loading the dishwasher, feeding the dogs....etc because he felt bad his brothers and father left it all to his mother to do.

and to be fair when he was living at home i saw it first hand, i guess it explains why she resents me for stealling her son

he was the only one to help her around the house...he can cook/clean and does more than me in those departments.

fishy fishy · 13-02-2013 11:03am

summerskin wrote: »

Obviously. I just wonder why many irish people think that these traits are only held by irish mothers.

I suppose it's a bit like when that twát Hector on 2fm constantly talk about "how irish" some things are, liking drinking tea, or hairdressers having wacky names...

who in their right mind would listen to that fella...honestly.

padd b1975 · 13-02-2013 11:04am

How many Irish mammies does it take to change a lightbulb??

None, sure I'm grand here sitting in the dark!

Kichote · 13-02-2013 11:14am

Irish people tend to think problems in Ireland are unique to Ireland. Its part of self loathing paddy syndrome

crockholm · 13-02-2013 11:23am

summerskin wrote: »

One thing I hear ad nauseum in this country is this bizarre notion of the "irish mammy". They seem to be treated as some magical creature that cannot be found in any other nation. As though they are the only ones who go to mass, do the cooking etc and spoil their sons rotten by not having them do any housework or learn to cook etc, therefore having them grow up to be useless mammy's boys.

Isn't that what a selection of mothers do pretty much every where in the world? I grew up in England, and some of my friends had mothers like that, some didn't. in Italy it's rife, Portugal too, among others.

Personally I think they are appalling, the sons in particular don't learn anywhere near enough life lessons, and often the daughters are treated as second class citizens.

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

Could you not just let us have this one, you know,after all the negative stereotypes about us,can we not just have something like this. You do seem to be very unhappy in Ireland.

13-02-2013 11:27am

padd b1975 wrote: »

How many Irish mammies does it take to change a lightbulb??

None, sure I'm grand here sitting in the dark!

Reminds me of a joke my Mammy's mammy told me many years ago, in fact it's the same joke.

The wittiest answer to this poser to another old punch line receives a - remarkably slim - Brendan O'Carroll joke book:

How did they know that Jesus was an Irishman?

padd b1975 · 13-02-2013 11:29am

9959 wrote: »

Reminds me of a joke my Mammy's mammy told me many years ago, in fact it's the same joke.

The wittiest answer to this poser to another old punch line receives a - remarkably slim - Brendan O'Carroll joke book:

How did they know that Jesus was an Irishman?

He lived with his mother until he was 33.

Raincheck on the 'jokeboook'.:cool:

13-02-2013 11:30am

Yore ma does the cooking and cleaning.

Damnit, I may have fallen into the trap

JuliusCaesar · 13-02-2013 11:33am

9959 wrote: »

How did they know that Jesus was an Irishman?

padd b1975 wrote: »

He lived with his mother until he was 33.

He went into his father's business.

He thought his mother was a virgin.

13-02-2013 11:40am

padd b1975 wrote: »

He lived with his mother until he was 33.

Raincheck on the 'jokeboook'.:cool:

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

He went into his father's business.

He thought his mother was a virgin.

All of the above including hanging around with twelve lads, though the tagline I'm familiar with is..... and his mother thought he was God!

LordSutch · 13-02-2013 11:44am

No idea what all this 'Irish Mammy' thing is about, and I say that as somebody who grew up in South Dublin.

Roger_007 · 13-02-2013 11:53am

Rasheed wrote: »

Well just in my experience, none of my foreign friends or people I've met abroad, have the same 'mammy' experience as me.

I'm an only daughter on a farm. We were brought up in such a way that nothing in the house was the lads responsibility. Nothing, no washing, cooking , cleaning, buying groceries, laundry, paying bills etc.

Meanwhile everything outside was the lads. Turf, gardening, all the farm work, anything to do with the cars etc.

Real old fashioned ideas as that's how my parents were brought up. My fathers mother was still be 'mammying' him and his brother until the day she died.

I rebelled some what as I was interested in the farm but I was under no illusions that it was going to go both ways. The lads hadn't the heed of shiite on the house work or how a dinner magically appeared each evening.

It's a never ending cycle. Even now, two of the lads are going with girls that spoil them rotten, because they had Irish mammies that did that very thing.

Why didn't you just get outta there. Sounds like you would have been better off in a Magdelene laundry.

Henlars67 · 13-02-2013 11:55am

From the age of 15 I was cooking the dinner after school so it would be ready for my parents when they got home from work.

If I wanted my clothes washed and ironed I'd to do it myself.

any 'Mammy' who does everything for hers sons is doing them no good at all.

Loads of my mates have left home not having a clue how to look after themselves.

One in particular still eats out every day and has to get his flatmate to iron a shirt for him any time he's going out.

All the fault of the mothers.

Any mother who does everything for their children isn't raising them properly

Gambas · 13-02-2013 11:58am

summerskin wrote: »

One thing I hear ad nauseum in this country is this bizarre notion of the "irish mammy". They seem to be treated as some magical creature that cannot be found in any other nation. As though they are the only ones who go to mass, do the cooking etc and spoil their sons rotten by not having them do any housework or learn to cook etc, therefore having them grow up to be useless mammy's boys.

Isn't that what a selection of mothers do pretty much every where in the world? I grew up in England, and some of my friends had mothers like that, some didn't. in Italy it's rife, Portugal too, among others.

Personally I think they are appalling, the sons in particular don't learn anywhere near enough life lessons, and often the daughters are treated as second class citizens.

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

There's a mad need in Ireland to set ourselves apart. Exceptionalism.

We're the best fans in the world and the most suicidal country in the world. Biggest banking collapse ever, fastest growing economy in the world, best educated, heaviest drinkers, the most craic, have the greatest sports in the world, the worst roads in europe, most scenic country in the world, most oppressed people ever, highest emigration levels. All made up nonsense. All made up and peddled by ourselves.

Is it any wonder then that our mammies need to be made out to be exceptional too? Imagine if we faced up to the fact that we are unremarkable?

summerskin · 13-02-2013 12:06pm

crockholm wrote: »

Could you not just let us have this one, you know,after all the negative stereotypes about us,can we not just have something like this. You do seem to be very unhappy in Ireland.

Not at all, just curious about why everything has to be uniquely irish.

hoodwinked · 13-02-2013 12:15pm

Gambas wrote: »

There's a mad need in Ireland to set ourselves apart. Exceptionalism.

We're the best fans in the world and the most suicidal country in the world. Biggest banking collapse ever, fastest growing economy in the world, best educated, heaviest drinkers, the most craic, have the greatest sports in the world, the worst roads in europe, most scenic country in the world, most oppressed people ever, highest emigration levels. All made up nonsense. All made up and peddled by ourselves.

Is it any wonder then that our mammies need to be made out to be exceptional too? Imagine if we faced up to the fact that we are unremarkable?

You have a point there,

there is a lot of keeping up with then beating the joneses going on here....

MugMugs · 13-02-2013 12:26pm

Henlars67 wrote: »

From the age of 15 I was cooking the dinner after school so it would be ready for my parents when they got home from work.

If I wanted my clothes washed and ironed I'd to do it myself.

any 'Mammy' who does everything for hers sons is doing them no good at all.

Loads of my mates have left home not having a clue how to look after themselves.

One in particular still eats out every day and has to get his flatmate to iron a shirt for him any time he's going out.

All the fault of the mothers.

Any mother who does everything for their children isn't raising them properly

I resent this.

I was one of those sons, I moved out and learnt how to do what I needed to do and motivated myself to do it. It's sink or swim in this world.

Just because there are a lot of lazy people in the country doesn't mean MY mother didn't do a good job by looking after me.

Henlars67 · 13-02-2013 12:31pm

MugMugs wrote: »

I resent this.

I was one of those sons, I moved out and learnt how to do what I needed to do and motivated myself to do it. It's sink or swim in this world.

Just because there are a lot of lazy people in the country doesn't mean MY mother didn't do a good job by looking after me.

resent all you like. Over-mothering is bad parenting in my opinion

13-02-2013 12:50pm

LordSutch wrote: »

No idea what all this 'Irish Mammy' thing is about, and I say that as somebody who grew up in South Dublin.

Ok, 'Irish Mum' then. JOKE!!!

BraziliaNZ · 13-02-2013 1:19pm

My mother mothers the bejesus out of my 36 year old older brother because he was always so retarded when it came to cooking or cleaning and anything domestic growing up. I was the opposite in that I loved cooking and used to follow my mam around watching her cook and eventually telling her how to do it my way etc.
Now when I'm home he always gets offered food and coffee and all sorts but I just seem to be invisible.
So it's as much the son's fault as the mother, but it's not just an Irish thing. Maybe it's more evident because we all live at home until we're 40.

MugMugs · 13-02-2013 1:21pm

Henlars67 wrote: »

resent all you like. Over-mothering is bad parenting in my opinion

How is it over mothering?

Henlars67 · 13-02-2013 1:24pm

MugMugs wrote: »

How is it over mothering?

Doing all the cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing etc for a son well into his teens or even 20's is over mothering. don't see how it isn't.

XxMCRxBabyxX · 13-02-2013 1:26pm

Gambas wrote: »

There's a mad need in Ireland to set ourselves apart. Exceptionalism.

Except that that's not an Irish thing either. Pretty much every nationality has the same mindset about their country.

Rasheed · 13-02-2013 6:31pm

Roger_007 wrote: »

Why didn't you just get outta there. Sounds like you would have been better off in a Magdelene laundry.

Ah go way will ya, it wasn't that bad. I'm guessing you're not from a farming background and a big family are you? The lads worked hard outside and me inside and my parents twice as hard as us all. I loved it, wouldn't change it for the world.

And if I'm blessed with a family the cycle will probably continue with with the lads outside and the girls inside.

poeticseraphim · 13-02-2013 6:52pm

Mum's and Dad's rule worldwide they're awesome / thread

hames · 13-02-2013 7:03pm

summerskin wrote: »

One thing I hear ad nauseum in this country is this bizarre notion of the "irish mammy". They seem to be treated as some magical creature that cannot be found in any other nation. As though they are the only ones who go to mass, do the cooking etc and spoil their sons rotten by not having them do any housework or learn to cook etc, therefore having them grow up to be useless mammy's boys.

Isn't that what a selection of mothers do pretty much every where in the world? I grew up in England, and some of my friends had mothers like that, some didn't. in Italy it's rife, Portugal too, among others.

Personally I think they are appalling, the sons in particular don't learn anywhere near enough life lessons, and often the daughters are treated as second class citizens.

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

Not really.

Ireland is reasonably unique in Western Europe in terms of motherhood.

What other western European country gives mothers so little say in their own reproductive health?
There are women who are still of working age, who were forced to retire from their jobs, by law, when they got married; that was happening up until the 1970s.

It's no wonder that the Irish view of motherhood is particularly quaint and domestic one relative to other European states where that image might have existed, but not have been so widely applicable.

Rasheed · 13-02-2013 7:12pm

poeticseraphim wrote: »

Mum's and Dad's rule worldwide they're awesome / thread

When you're lucky. I feel blessed every day with the parents I had.

Some people haven't our luck of having good parents.

iguana · 13-02-2013 10:27pm

summerskin wrote: »

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

They aren't held in high regard in anyway that I've ever experienced. The term is at best one of exasperated affection or often just plain annoyance. It's not a term that's used to describe any Irish woman who is a mother but a particular type of mother who has a very smothering style of parenting, worships her sons and holds her daughters to higher standards. She also usually has a 'sensible' short haircut that I always feel is a (subconscious) signal that she is no longer interested in being sexually attractive.

pragmatic1 · 13-02-2013 10:42pm

What you say bout my mamma?

daithi1970 · 13-02-2013 10:46pm

I can remember living in a house share and coming downstairs mid morning on a day off to find one of my housemates mother polishing the doors..when I asked why she was doing that she replied that ,,"sure Im only looking for something to clean.." Here's a thought, maybe we should put Irish mammies in charge of the cleaning in the hospitals.....

oh and by the way, Jesus was obviously Mexican. Or possibly Puerto Rican. The clue is in the name..

daithi

parc · 13-02-2013 11:48pm

summerskin wrote: »

One thing I hear ad nauseum in this country is this bizarre notion of the "irish mammy". They seem to be treated as some magical creature that cannot be found in any other nation. As though they are the only ones who go to mass, do the cooking etc and spoil their sons rotten by not having them do any housework or learn to cook etc, therefore having them grow up to be useless mammy's boys.

Isn't that what a selection of mothers do pretty much every where in the world? I grew up in England, and some of my friends had mothers like that, some didn't. in Italy it's rife, Portugal too, among others.

Personally I think they are appalling, the sons in particular don't learn anywhere near enough life lessons, and often the daughters are treated as second class citizens.

So come on, why are they held in such regard, as "irish mammies", instead of just being mothers, like everywhere else?

chillax man. it's not our or our mammy's fault that they are sound and we had a good upbringing

PaganKing · 13-02-2013 11:56pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Whenever my ma was down at mine, she'd route around for recycling or do a quick clean over some things.

A flatmates ma was somewhat similar as well.

Did you see this kind of stuff in England too?

The place wasn't even a mess like... just not very organised...

Oh and as she keeps telling me, Vinegar with some Lemon, good for the ole cleaning.

Talking About Me Ma?!

"Irish fecking Mammies!"

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